BenQ betting on 16:9 monitors

White version of BenQ's 16:9 range
White version of BenQ's 16:9 range

BenQ has shown off its latest monitor range, and the company is insistent that 16:9 is the way forward for consumers and eventually businesses too.

Currently, widescreen monitors are 16:10, but BenQ is among the first to push for 16:9 pictures that can display 1080p Full HD, even though there are rumblings that the 'missing inch' is a problem for ordinary computer desktops.

BenQ (which in this event stood for Bringing Enjoyment N'Quality to the market place – we kid you not) showed off its E2200HD and E2400HD, a white version with a webcam (M2200HD and M2400HD) as well as some traditional 16:10 monitors.

Costs

With the 22in black version competitive at £150 and the 24in version £100 dearer, the new range may well be proving tempting to those who want to use their monitor as an occasional second screen for entertainment.

"I think 16:9 has a big advantage and at the moment that is very much targeted toward the consumer," said BenQ's Thomas Muller.

"The corporate market may well stick with 16:10 at the moment because it allows for 2000 pixels, but for the huge part of that market on 4:3 still, we are asking if they will skip 16:10 and go straight to 16:9.

Some applications

"There are some applications [that benefit from 16:10] but the costs are higher and in the long term the market will be dictated by the panel makers.

"I think that 16:9 is really coming to the market in this quarter and luckily we are one of the first companies to get there."

Muller believes that the £250 24in panel is a great size for the majority of users.

"I'm particularly positive about the 24in screen as I think it makes sense for most consumers, and it's at a price point which is interesting."

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.